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A group of MPs and peers have enjoyed a trip to the South Pacific at a cost of at least £60,000 to the taxpayer.
The delegation of politicians took business class flights for a 16-day visit to a series of South Sea islands, and stayed in a five-star hotel on Fiji for seven days.
Other parts of their trips were paid for by Third World countries where the average wage is less than £1,500 a year.
The tour, by members of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, was a “fact-finding” exercise on climate change.
Six MPs and two peers were flown to Fiji via Australia, with members of the group taking in Tonga, Kiribati and Vanuatu.
Campaign group the Taxpayers' Alliance said the tour was “indulgent”.
The CPA's British branch, which is funded by a grant from Westminster authorities each year, paid for business class Virgin flights to Australia and connections to Fiji at £6,300 each. The group were Conservative MP Andrew Rosindell (Romford) Labour MPs Meg Munn (Sheffield Heeley), Jim Sheridan (Paisley and Renfrewshire North), Betty Williams (Conwy), Neil Turner (Wigan) and Colin Challen, (Morley and Rothwell); Liberal Democrat peer Lord Roper of Thorney Island and Labour's Lord Lea of Crondall.
Two members of CPA staff also flew with them.
The group stayed for a total of seven nights in the £150-a-night five-star Sofitel Fiji Resort, in the west of the island.
The bill from the hotel is expected to be at least £5,200, taking the minimum cost of the trip to £65,000.
Each member also received a daily cash allowance for incidental expenses.
Local accommodation on trips with the CPA are normally paid for by host countries. But because Fiji was suspended from the Commonwealth after its military leaders refused to schedule elections, the CPA funded the stay there.
A member of staff at spa hotel, which boasts a lagoon-style pool next to a palm-fringed white sand beach, said: “They had a good time. They were enjoying the sun.”
They used Fiji as a base, splitting into two groups.
Four travelled to Kiribati and Tuvali, where they visited a school and met local politicians.
The second group went to Vanuatu, Vava'u and Tonga where, despite meeting representatives of the island state's monarchy, they found time to go whale watching.
They also had lunch at Nuku Island where Channel 4 filmed reality television series Shipwrecked.
In Tonga, the politicians were put up in the £150-a-night Seaview hotel in the country's capital Nuku'alofa, paid for by their hosts.
On their first night the restaurant bill of more than £1,000 was picked up by the Tongan parliament's speaker, Lord Tu'ilakepa. The average wage in Tonga is £1,490.
Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: “In these tough economic times, Parliamentarians should be cutting back on these indulgent trips. People back home are struggling to pay the bills, never mind being able to travel around the world, and it sticks in people's throats when they see politicians jetting off at taxpayers' expense.”
But Mr Challen defended the trip. He said: “Kiribati and Tonga are both members of the Commonwealth which have deep concerns about climate change, amongst other things.
“What help will they need? Who will provide it? Should we just ignore them?”
Ms Munn said: “We went to look specifically at issues of climate change and we travelled to different islands.
“The purpose was to have a better understanding of the problems that are facing these countries in terms of climate change and to look how we can support these countries in terms of being able to lobby as part of process leading up to [the climate change summit in] Copenhagen.”
A spokesman for the CPA said: “Ask our hosts if this was an important visit in the context of the challenges they face in mitigating the effects of climate change. You can only really help if you go out there.”
The trip will be featured in Dispatches: MPs, Planes and Gravy Trains on Channel 4 on Monday 28 at 8pm.
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Reader views (10)
Without leaving my home, I find that Tuvalu is sinking due to Phosphate Ore extraction, not rising tides. Is this true? I don't know, but I'd be prepared to go and check it out, if someone would like to finance it?
- Chris, Lincolnshire, 29/09/2009 09:06
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Have these bunch of idiots not heard of Video conferencing? could have done more help in regards to 'climate change' by not flying! Any excuse for a free holiday at our expense.
- Jk, London, 25/09/2009 15:34
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MP's should realise that their days of over expenses, junkets, high flying lifestyles and the goodlife paid for bythe taxpayer is well and truly over.
Lavish lifestyles not funded by themselves, simply won't be tolerated by the public in austere times. Conspicuous consumption paid for by the taxpayer is yesterday's era.
I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking so angrily of our greedy politicians when I see the horrific injuries of young troop members returning from Afghanistan. At the same time as having the utmost admiration for their courage in dealing with sight and limb losses, the mind boils over in anger at the knowledge that the troops equipment is inadequate due to financial cutbacks. That the injured and the families sharing their rehabilitation, are so much more deserving of trips like the ones reported here. Moreover, we pay for offices for politicians to hold meetings in, and for telephones and conference calling to have their overseas meetings.
In this day and age, politicians perceived to be overspending on themselves from the public purse, will always be weighted up against the more deserving and imperative uses of our taxes. No more free lunches.
- Sandy, London, 25/09/2009 15:16
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I'm glad they enjoyed themselves - all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. What's wrong with flying economy, though?
- Matthew, london, 25/09/2009 14:21
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ending climate change by taking flights around the globe? I think they have missed the irony of this pathetic excuse for a fact finding mission. Can we see the report they published to see what they actually found out?
- Mr Opinion, london, 25/09/2009 14:02
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"Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?"
Perhaps we can borrow a guillotine or two from the French?
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 25/09/2009 13:50
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Perhaps we should send our representatives to backpacker motels as befits Britains Banana republic/3rd world status.
Climate change is very real for places like Tuvalu and Kiribati. In 20 or so years many of their islands will be uninhabitable because of rising sea levels.
- Mal, Yeovil, 25/09/2009 13:29
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Disgusting and Vile.
- P Staker, Londonistan., 25/09/2009 12:47
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Pigs!
- Steve, Brentford, 25/09/2009 10:41
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Is there no end to all this climate change nonsense and MP's pushing their long snouts in the expenses trough at every opportunity?
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe Compound, EUSSR, 25/09/2009 10:04
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